Turn to Me
by TwistedAngel101
Summary: Calleigh attempts to help Horatio cope. Missing scenes/post 8.18 "Dishonor." **DuCaine & slight spoilers**


**Disclaimer:** They're not mine, don't sue!

**A/N 1:** Hey everyone! I'm back with a new fic (whoo-hoo) since the plot bunnies and my muse finally came out of hiding. I swear college lately has been a killer, at least creatively and kept me from writing...so sadly I may not post again for awhile. Thankfully for you guys, this is a one-shot though. This week's ep _"Dishonor"_ just seemed to be lacking a good 'final scene' so I wrote one (DuCaine of course) hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Pulling into his driveway, Horatio's mind was still a blur…this latest case hitting a little _too close_ to home. How he'd managed to drive home in one piece was a miracle. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he entered the house, his body moving on auto-pilot towards the kitchen and stopped at the sight of his lover. A brief moment of peace filling him as he watched Calleigh, watched her slender fingers glide over the cutting board.

"Hey," she whispered; sighing as she felt him place a kiss to her neck. "I was startin' to get worried about you."

He exhaled sharply, his breath warm against her skin -as she'd pinned the silky blonde mass of her hair into a ponytail- and squeezed her around the waist. "Sorry, you didn't have to do this you know."

"After what you've been through the last couple days…it's the _least_ I could do." Calleigh answered, placing the knife down and turned to face him; her emerald eyes scanning his worriedly. As she expected, he brushed off her concern with an 'I'm fine' and a kiss to her forehead…his hands caressing restlessly over her arms. "Dinner should be ready in a few minutes."

The meal passed in a semi-comfortable silence, the sound of ice clinking in glasses and silverware hitting plates the main noise. Calleigh had stuck to comfort food -lasagna and a simple salad- knowing both of them were far more weary than they looked. About half-way through loading the dishwasher, Cal went in search of the redhead, the house far _too quiet_ for her liking and making her uneasy. She found him by double doors leading to the patio, a tumbler of Jack Daniels in one hand, his grip on it slightly lax –suggesting it was not his first.

"That's enough of that," she whispered. One hand deftly taking the glass from his numb grasp while the other came to rest against his lower back. "Nothin' good comes from drinking yourself into oblivion." Slowly, Horatio's conflicted blue eyes met hers, a large hand moving to cup the side of her face and captured her mouth with his. Instinctively she kissed him back, letting his tongue probe apart her lips; whimpering softly at the ragged caresses. Pulling back gently, she nuzzled her nose against his, her words little more than a breath. "Why don't you go take a shower; I'll finish cleaning up out here…"

HCHCHCHCHCHCHCHCHC

Freshly showered and slightly more relaxed, Horatio stepped into the bedroom. Even through the semi-darkness, his eyes immediately zeroed in on the bed, Calleigh's petite form already cocooned beneath the covers. To the untrained eye, they'd believe the blonde was already asleep, but Horatio knew better -her emerald eyes opening as soon as he eased into bed behind her.

Cal sighed, her left hand curled around the edge of her pillow while the other lay tucked beneath her chin. With a tiny smile, she moved her right hand to cover the arm Horatio had just placed around her waist; her fingers trailing lightly across the skin. "You wanna talk about it?" she whispered into the darkness.

"What's there to talk about?" He asked, his chin coming to rest against her shoulder, "He's being shipped off to the middle-east and there's nothing I can do about it."

She exhaled slowly, wanting to comfort him but not exactly sure what to say….this was new territory for both of them. "Babe, he's gonna be fine; you and I both know that."

Horatio swallowed hard, wanting to accept what Calleigh was saying, knowing she was probably right but a part of him just couldn't. "Then why do I feel like I just let my child walk into his own execution?"

"Because he's _your _child," Cal answered, easily shifting onto her back to face him. "Because _you're a parent_…most people have about two _decades_ to prep for letting them go, and you-"

"Have only had about two _years_," H replied, cutting her off mid-sentence. The blonde sighed, reaching up to caress his cheek and felt immense relief when he kissed her palm.

Calleigh gave a ghost of a smile, her voice soft. "He _your_ son, and more importantly he's a survivor…if _anyone_ can handle it over there it's him." Yet again, Horatio's mouth found hers. Silently thanking God for the thousandth time, not sure what he'd done to deserve the blonde beneath him. The one woman who'd loved him, regardless of his flaws, his past and continued to be his strength –even in the darkest of times.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too." She answered, an impish grin splitting her lips and added, "And who knows, somewhere down the line we could always make this place a little noisy." Horatio's blue eyes twinkled down at her, humming contently…determined to give her that picture -that life- and be there when she could finally call herself a mother.

"Sounds like a plan, Sweetheart."

~Fin~

* * *

**A/N 2:** Hope you liked it, if you did let me know! :) I felt a little rusty while writing this, but for once (at least lately) I just _had_ to type this one out and get it posted! Here's hoping I can get back to writing soon...until the next story. :)


End file.
